India's actions in IoK may be detrimental to regional peace: Asad Majeed Khan

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to United States, Asad Majeed Khan on Tuesday said that India’s illegal occupation and unilateral move on the disputed territory of Kashmir can be the harbinger of detriment to regional peace and stability.

In an appearance on a Fox News program, Khan said, “Unilaterally changing the status of a region which has been seen by the international community over the years as a disputed territory has really put the region at the verge of a serious conflict.”

“They are trying to rewrite history and they have tried to deprive the people of their identity. They have unilaterally tried to settle an issue which has been there on the United Nations (UN) agenda for almost 70 years,” the Pakistani enjoy said.

Responding to question about how Pakistan and India could de-escalate tensions, Khan said it falls to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lead the calls for peace.

“I think the provocation clearly has come from India,” he said. “Prime Minister Imran Khan was here. He spoke to you personally. He also met President Trump at the White House. And we’ve been very consistent in making all the overtures for peace to India. Unfortunately, all those gestures have not been reciprocated.”

Khan added, “It is for the United Nations… it is for friends United States and other international players — they need to intervene.”

Earlier this month, the US president had once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir dispute.

“If they [Pakistan and India] wanted somebody to intervene or to help them,” Trump said in response to a question from a reporter at the White House about his earlier offer to mediate the Kashmir issue, “I spoke with Pakistan about that, and I spoke, frankly, to India about it. But that’s been going on, that battle, for a long time.”